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1739: St Patrick's,
Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Mystery Worshipper:
OrgelMeister.The church:St Patrick's,
Atlanta, Georgia, USA.Denomination:
The Episcopal Church, Diocese
of Atlanta.The building:
The building is late 1960s or early 1970s modern. Beautiful
courtyard in the center of the building. One entrance between
the chapel and main nave has a nice garden and water feature/koi
pond with a celtic cross at one end. The main nave is more of
a pseudo-trapezoid shape (loosely speaking) rather than a traditionally-styled
nave that I'm accustomed to seeing. Choir seating is over to
one side, rather than in the chancel or in a rear balcony. There
is also a massive flying Jesus in the chancel (more on that
later).The church:
I had always heard how nice, caring, giving, and loving the
congregation of St Patrick's is. I decided to see for myself.
St Patrick's is also not a traditional Episcopal parish. They
could be described as what most people would deem charismatic.The neighborhood:
St Patrick's lists Atlanta as its mailing address but is actually
located in Dunwoody, once an upscale old-money northern Atlanta
enclave but now an independent city. During the late 80s and
early 90s, Dunwoody was an up-and-coming neighborhood. It is
still rather upscale, more family-friendly than singles-friendly,
but is beginning to show its age a little.The cast:
The Rt Revd Keith B. Whitmore, Assistant Bishop of Atlanta,
was celebrant and preacher this morning. He was assisted by
the Revd Penny Nash, associate rector. Their former rector,
the Revd Canon Gray Temple, Jr, retired recently and now serves
as interim rector at a church in Munich, Germany, but no mention
was made of him.The date & time:
The Day of Pentecost (Whitsunday), May 30, 2009, 10.30am.

What was the name of the service?
Holy Eucharist with Confirmations and Baptisms.

How full was the building?
The building was nearly bulging at the seams. I heard a couple
of regular parishioners comment that they had never seen the
building this full.

Did anyone welcome you personally?
Before I could even get out of my car, an elderly lady recognized
me as a visitor and welcomed me. Two gentlemen outside the door
welcomed me again. Once I had entered, someone else said hello
and handed me a bulletin, and a lady whom I had never seen before
gave me a big hug!

Was your pew comfortable?
Although the pew was padded on the seat and the back, I found
the angle a bit odd, so on a scale of 1 to 10 I would probably
give it a 4.

How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
I arrived to a very noisy church: people talking, moving around,
hugging each other, etc. Not a very prayerful setting. The guest
organist was beginning the Franck Prelude and Variations
and then switched to the Bach Little Prelude and Fugue in
C Major.

What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good morning! Welcome to St Patrick's. Please stand for the
opening hymn." We sang "Hail Thee Festival Day" and then the
bishop began with "Alleluia, Christ is risen."

What books did the congregation use during the
service?Hymnal 1982, Book of Common Prayer, and Songbook
(a three ring binder).

What musical instruments were played?
An older Allen organ, piano, and a couple of string instruments.
The choir did not vest.

Did anything distract you?
There were several distractions. The first thing I noticed when
I walked into the church was the massive amount of balloons
all over the place to celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the
Church. Right before the confirmations began, one of the balloons
burst, which garnered some squeals and then laughter. The bishop,
being a jovial individual, commented on how the "Spirit moves
in mysterious ways." But the thing that distracted me the most
was the 20 foot "flying Jesus" holding a huge bouquet
of balloons. (See picture).

Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
There was nothing stiff-upper-lip about this service.
People were standing up lifting their hands above their heads.
There were a few shouts of "Amen" and "Hallelujah" several times
during the service. During the Lord's Prayer, everyone in the
room held hands, either across the aisles or in front or back
of each other. The people of St Patrick's have a tremendously
deep love for each other and they are not afraid to show it.

Exactly how long was the sermon?
13 minutes.

On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
10  Bishop Whitmore is an excellent preacher. I've heard
him preach before, and I've always found his sermons to be cohesive
and heartfelt. He doesn't ramble around like some do. He also
is one of the few who can actually keep my attention during
the whole sermon.

In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
Pentecost is the third most important feast day in the Church,
after Easter and Christmas. The apostles had been huddled in
that upper room for 50 days. Receiving the Holy Spirit enabled
them finally to leave the room, go out into the world, and proclaim
the gospel.

Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
Seeing the unconditional love that the members of this congregation
have for each other.

And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The music, I'm afraid. The organist, string players, pianist
and choir had trouble staying in tempo with each other. I counted
no less than seven tempos in a four-stanza hymn. Entrances and
cutoffs between verses were very ragged. Additionally, the announcements
went on for 15 minutes, during which guests were welcomed, birthdays
were announced, and anniversaries were commemorated – each
to much applause from the congregation!

What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
There was no time to look lost! Some people immediately came
up to greet me and sweep me down the hall to the church's annual
Pentecost picnic and barbeque.

How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
A huge spread of food. I felt guilty not having brought anything
to contribute. Nor was there an offering plate where people
could donate something to help with the food.

How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
3  While I felt a serious and genuine love among these
parishioners, I do not think I could make this my church home
on a regular basis because of the music and praise choruses.

Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes, because of the love these people share with each other.

What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
Two things really: Bishop Whitmore's sermon and that flying
Jesus.

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